Apple recently explained how it will comply with an age verification law in the App Store in Texas, and now it will face a similar requirement in California. The Texas law goes into effect on January 1, 2026.Anyone creating a new Apple account after that date will have to verify that they are 18 years of age or older.
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Fortunately, there's no requirement to capture photo ID to prove a user's age, and Apple has found a way to allow developers to comply without exposing personal data to them. If a new user is a minor, they'll be required to join a Family Sharing so parents or guardians can provide consent for all purchases, downloads, and more.
To help developers meet their obligations in a privacy-preserving manner, Apple will introduce capabilities to help them obtain user age ranges and manage significant changes as required by Texas law. The Declared Age Range API is available for implementation now and will be updated in the coming months to provide the required age ranges for new user accounts in Texas.
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A similar law has now been introduced in California after unanimous support in the State Assembly. This law places more responsibility on parents and again does not require any photo ID. Children will still be able to download apps without their parents' consent.
Instead, the idea is that a parent would enter their child's age when setting up a device for them, creating an age gate instead of strict age verification. The operating system and/or the App Store would categorize the user into one of four age groups (under 13, 13-16, 16-18, or adult) and make that information available to app developers. So there would be very little work for Apple to comply with, simply ensuring that parents can determine their child's age, with iOS categorizing it into one of the four age groups and exposing it to developers.
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The law was introduced alongside another on browsing privacy. It is both a strength and a weakness of the US Constitution that states can enact individual laws like this. On the one hand, it means there is no need to wait for sufficient political support at the federal level. On the other hand, laws are being created piecemeal, with consumers offered different levels of protection depending on where they live, and companies like Apple having to ensure they provide the appropriate support for each state.
